RESIDENTS are demanding that Derby Rugby Club repairs a private road left full of potholes after flooding.

People in Haslam's Lane insist it is up to the club to maintain the road.

But club chiefs say they have already made some repairs – and that responsibility should be shared by other businesses in the area.

Haslam's Lane resident Shyam Mitra, also a member of the area's Neighbourhood Watch, said the road was impassable.

"Promises were made to local residents when Derby Rugby Club moved to Haslam's Lane from Kedleston Road a few years ago," he said.

"One of the main promises was that they would maintain the road between Folly Road and the brook.

"But near the brook Haslam's Lane is in a shocking condition, compounded by the flooding damage a few years ago, and has remained in a terrible condition ever since.

"It is high time that the rugby club faced up to its responsibility, came clean and made positive commitments to repair the damage for the benefit of local residents, club members and lane-users."

Fellow Haslam's Lane resident Freda Adgie said something had to be done.

"It is the only way out for people who live here," she said.

Margaret Robotham, of Folly Road, has written to Derby City Council about the road.

She said: "It is the worst I have ever seen it – and is dangerous."

The council said the road was private and had not been adopted by the authority.

Martyn Murney, chairman of rugby club, said it had carried out a number of temporary repairs to the road.

And he said more were planned in the next few days.

He said: "The responsibility for maintenance of Haslam's Lane is not wholly that of the rugby club, but is jointly that of all those businesses in the Darley Abbey Mills [area], as dictated in the deeds of the land.

"As such, in my capacity as chairman, I am writing to all businesses there to get together a fund to repair the surface, especially as the main traffic through Haslam's Lane is in fact that of businesses there, and people constantly cutting through either from Alfreton Road into Darley Abbey village, or vice versa.

"Our local residents on Folly Road and Haslam's Lane have previously discussed with ourselves their concerns regarding the road.

"They have suggested that the rugby club is one of the main users of the road, and thus why we should be repairing it."